Dark, gritty, and riddled with back alley characters, The Third Step is one man's journey into the black recesses of his own soul...
Meet Frankie, a young, disaffected amateur boxer, really more of a punching bag, a drunk and a drug addict. He is a loser at love, except for his relationship with his grandma, who, rumor has it, is a white witch. She, along with a handful of others, serve as his moral compass.
Frankie fights a lifelong struggle to find an understanding of the creator of the universe, not the poisoned caricature painted by the church and the "holy" people who seem to torment him.
His journey takes him from the East Coast down to New Orleans to face confrontations with his demons, both real and imagined. Along the way, the story is littered with tales of drug smuggling, murder, an affair with a woman who may be the devil herself, and an ultimate quest for revenge.
Frankie comes to terms with his addictions, but his search for a deeper understanding of this God entity and his need to connect with his soul could be his ultimate addiction, one that may follow him beyond the grave...
Plot/Idea: 6 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Prose: 6 out of 10
Character/Execution: 8 out of 10
Overall: 7.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot: Frankie's escapades read like a string of events that aren't connected in any meaningful way, and this makes the plot feel disjointed. Excessive and unnecessary description also derails the narrative pace.
Prose: The prose in this book is a mixed bag. While some of the writing is very solid, the author's attempts to elevate the prose often produce overly wordy and excessively detailed writing that doesn't flow well.
Originality: Frankie's twisted, self-hating personality is original, as are the self-destructive events of his life. The author does a fine job creating Frankie's world, both past and present.
Character Development: Frankie is the most fully developed character in the book, and readers will understand and recognize his self-destructive nature. The author gives Frankie moments of clarity that work to deepen his development.
Date Submitted: August 25, 2017
